I’ve got some thoughts along those lines. Namely, here is a team of players not capped in 15s who I’d like to see at camp, and why:

Prop: Mikey Su’a. I wonder what will happen when he is given an international conditioning program. Not that he hasn’t been working hard at BYU. Still a fascinating prospect.

Hooker: Zach Fenoglio. The standout DII player in the All Americans, Fenoglio has the ability to be everything the USA needs in a #2.

Prop: Tim Paulsen. Every indication is that this Chicago Griffin is on a solid trajectory upward.

Lock: Nick Civetta. The lock position is begin eviscerated these days, what with retirement, injury, and the NFL dragging Eagles away elsewhere. I like Civetta because he’s athletic and tall. Tall is good.

Lock: Casey Rock. I think Rock really wants this, which helps. Like Civetta, he’s tall, only taller.

Flanker: Taylor Mokate. Can actually play second row and No.8 – usually a No. 8. Playing well in New Zealand and really primed to break in. The problem for him (and everyone else trying to be a back rower in the USA)? The competition is very fierce.

Flanker: Derek Asbun. Love this guys work rate and his intelligence. The interesting part about Asbun is that he might actually project as a hooker. Really.

No. 8: Andrew Durutalo. Is this a cheat? Well we haven’t seen him play a lot of 15s. I kind of think he’d do OK.

Scrumhalf: Shaun Davies. There are some other scrumhalves worth looking at, and Don Pati is certainly one of them, but Davies is very slick, and precise.

Flyhalf: Taylor Howden. I could put Zach Pangelinan in here. This is an area of need and I want someone young and confident.

Wing: Dimitri Efthimiou. Remember this guy? Mystic River. Leicester Academy. Now in Sydney. Very quick. Why not?

Inside Center: Nate Ebner. Ohio State football player, former USA U20 star. Used to play fullback when he was skinny, now a beast and, again, why not? (Some other backs ... Gareth Jones, Dustin Muhn ...)

Outside Center: Ed Pitts. One of those players who has been an up-and-comer, and maybe could stand to be looked at.

Wing: Miles Craigwell. The funny thing about Craigwell is that while he’s been touted as a 7s player, he might end up doing even better in 15s. Why? Well, he’s fast, but not quite blazing enough for a wing in 7s. He’s physical, but in a heat-seeking missile kind of way that can draw you out of position in 7s. But in 15s, that speed and physicality could work very nicely.

Fullback: Joe Cowley. Terrific player in general, but an outstanding goalkicker. I love Will Holder too, but as someone who will be in the Army, he’s not guaranteed availability. So I look at Cowley as someone who can bring those skills to the USA at some point.


Comment below and tell us who you'd like to see.